


Everybody Find Your Buddy

by Perpetual Motion (perpetfic)



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: M/M, Tropes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-19
Updated: 2012-10-19
Packaged: 2017-11-16 14:49:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/540638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hulk isn't changing back to Banner. Tony isn't worried. Coulson's a little worried.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Everybody Find Your Buddy

**Author's Note:**

> Fill for a trope!prompt meme on tumblr. It was supposed to be "forced to share a bed," and it sort of got there.

“He’s not changing back,” Coulson says.

“He’ll get there,” Tony replies, walking over and thumping Hulk on one bicep. Hulk looks up from where he’s stacking pieces of rubble off to one side. “Right, Big Guy?”

“This job is for Hulk,” Hulks says, not looking away from his stacking.

“See?” Tony says, turning back to Coulson with a grin that Coulson feels is entirely too wide for the circumstances. “Everything’s good.”

Coulson wants to thump his head against the hood of the SUV, but he refrains. Barely. They’ve leveled a city block, and Coulson’s released the rest of the team to base for debrief, but Banner’s not switching back, and Stark is entirely too pleased by it. “Everything is  _not_  good, Stark. We have to clear the scene, which means getting Hulk into a chopper harness and—”

“No harness,” Hulk says, looking over at Coulson and Tony. “Harness uncomfortable.”

“We have to get you back to base,” Coulson replies. He and Hulk stare each other down for a moment until Hulk looks at Tony.

“No harness,” Hulk says to Tony.

“He can come back to the tower,” Tony replies. “I’ve got the space. When he and Banner swap places, we’ll drop by base.”

“That isn’t—” Coulson cuts off when he hears a faint scream for help and realizes that Hulk’s been stacking rubble to get to the people below it. “How long has he been doing that?”

“Search and rescue?” Tony asks. “I think this is the first time. Usually Bruce swaps out with him as soon as the smashing’s done.”

“But you don’t seem surprised he’s doing search and rescue.”

Tony shrugs. “The Big Guy’s got a good heart, Coulson.” He gives Hulk a thumbs-up when Hulk reaches down and pulls out three dusty and slightly bloody civilians. “I think he and Banner have been discussing how better to use it, so Banner’s waiting for Hulk to finish saving civilians before he swaps back.”

Coulson thinks about it as he watches Hulk watch the EMTs work on the civilans. “Hulk,” he says, “is there anyone else you need to save?”

“No,” Hulk says.

“All right. Go with Stark if you want. We’ll debrief once you and Banner switch back.”

Hulk nods and lumbers over to Tony. Coulson has to fight very hard no to look astonished when Tony takes the Hulk’s hand and leads him down the street like a wayward kid.

“This is the weirdest damn job,” Coulson mutters and turns to finish organizing clean-up.

*

“Hulk tired,” Hulk says when he and Tony get into the tower. 

“You wanna nap, Big Guy?”

“Yes.”

“All right. Come on.” Tony leads Hulk to the huge gym in the basement. Half of the floor space is covered in exercise mats, and Tony points to them. “I don’t have a Hulk-Sized bed, so this is gonna have to do.”

Hulk sits on the mats then lies down. He grabs Tony before Tony can walk away and tugs at him.

“Easy, Big Guy. Don’t dent the armor.”

“Sleep,” Hulk says. “Banner says you need sleep.”

Tony snorts and rolls his eyes. “You tell Banner he’s one to talk. He was up with me the last two days.” He taps a hand against Hulk’s knuckle. “Gimmie a second to get out of the armor, and I’ll crash, buddy.”

Hulk lets go and watches Tony get out of his armor. He wrinkles his forehead when Tony climbs over his legs and scoots up his side. 

“You roll over, I’m a pancake,” Tony says. “So I’m gonna camp atop Mount Hulk for my nap, all right?”

“Hulk sleepy,” Hulk says, and he falls asleep with a snort and a growl.

*

Three hours later, Bruce wakes up, Tony cuddled up against him with an arm and a leg wrapped around him to keep him as close as possible. Bruce turns his head and raises his arm and runs it through Tony’s hair.

“Hey,” Tony says, snuffling against Bruce’s neck before kissing his shoulder.

“Hey,” Bruce replies. He yawns and rolls closer to Tony. “Where am I?”

“Tower gym,” Tony says. “Hulk wanted a nap and a cuddle, and this was the easiest place for it.”

“How’d he do?” Bruce asks, sliding an arm around Tony and closing his eyes again when he presses his face against Tony’s chest to the side of the reactor.

“Saved some civilians. Talked Coulson out of the harness.”

“He hates the harness,” Bruce mutters.

“So you’re here, and once we’re up and moving, we’ll go debrief.”

“Mmm,” Bruce hums. “Thanks.”

“Hey, I got the Big Guy’s back,” Tony says. “And yours, too.” He kisses Bruce on top of the head and tightens his grip with his arm and leg. “We got this.” 


End file.
